Soap for Very Sensitive Skin?

Updated on April 18, 2013
D.C. asks from New York, NY
17 answers

Hi Moms,
This one is for me - I have very sensitive skin - lots of allergies and my skin gets irritated and itchy so easily. I don't use anything with a fragrance. I've been using Dove Sensitive for years. But now even this is irritating my skin.

Does anyone else have skin this sensitive and if so, what do you use in the shower?

What can I do next?

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So What Happened?

Good suggestions so fast! I will look for these. And I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one that Dove Sensitive is not good enough for! My skin is also very dry, and I've completely given up on lotion because they all have glycerine, a major allergen for me - maybe some of these more gentle cleansers will help with that too.

Thanks for the other tips too. We do use All Free and Clear detergent, and that doesn't bother me at all. No fabric softener or dryer sheets ever. No room fresheners. No perfume. Only certain deodorants. Etc. Right now it's just the soap.

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E.T.

answers from Albuquerque on

Oh - Dove Sensitive is awful! It makes me itch every time due to all the chemicals. I use either Cetaphil or really expensive organic body washes from Whole Foods. Try Cetaphil - you can get it at regular drug stores.

4 moms found this helpful
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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

I use Cetaphil or similar (CVS brand) for my dry, sensitive face. It's worked well. I would look for something similar.

3 moms found this helpful

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☼.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

I love Bronner's soap bars. This one is for sensitive skin, although they are all great. You can find them at Trader Joe's, Target and any other healthier market.

http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/OBBA05/BabyMildOrganicBarSo...

2 moms found this helpful
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F.B.

answers from New York on

Aveno has a line of products for babies. You might want to consider those. Also, you might want to cut back on soap altogether. If you aren't especially sweaty/ smelly agood rinse and a scrub with a soft washcloth should probably do the trick most days.

Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.

2 moms found this helpful

C.V.

answers from Columbia on

I have ridiculously sensitive skin. I break out from scented detergents, perfumes, scented lotions, dryer sheets and fabric softeners...etc., etc. It's the fragrances that make me itchy.

I make my own laundry detergent and use white vinegar for fabric softener. That's so helpful.

For body soaps, I've used Equate's version of Aveeno unscented
oatmeal-based liquid soap without any issues.

But I find that my favorites are Castile bar soaps. Kirk's CoCo Castile is made with coconut oil and only has natural fragrances. Shea Moisture soaps are also lovely and last a long time. They are NOT like Zest or Irish Spring...they don't dry your skin or leave any soap behind. And they lather beautifully.

2 moms found this helpful
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N.H.

answers from Peoria on

I started using coco butter formula body wash but I only use the Dollar General brand. It seems to be the only thing that doesn't cause me to breakout or irritate my skin/making me itch. It's only $2.50 for a 18oz bottle & it lasts me for a couple of weeks at least. I've tried other coco butter brands but DG is the only brand that works for me.

As far as 'lotions' I prefer hand cream...soaks in better & lasts longer than 'lotions' which tends to just sit on the surface IMO. I only use Palmer's coco butter hand cream so maybe these suggestions will help you too! Hope this helps! Good luck. :)

1 mom found this helpful
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H.L.

answers from Houston on

For my toddler, who has eczema, we use a castile soap. I didn't notice that it seems to fortify the skin, until he went without it for a week. He was doing a lot of itching. Also, his bug repellant suddenly caused a severe and immediate reaction. No epi, but we had to strip him down and wash him off and give him Benadryl.

1 mom found this helpful

Y.G.

answers from Miami on

I have sensitive skin too. I used Cetaphil and love it :)

1 mom found this helpful
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A.L.

answers from Las Vegas on

I like Zum Bar soap, comes in a variety of fragrances (natural ones that is) or JUST soap with no smell at all :) although, gotta be honest, I only use soap where it counts (and not much) as I too have VERY sensitive skin...In addition, we have a shower filter that takes out the Chlorine ... which was also a culprit when it came to drying out my skin.. Since installing that years ago, I definitely notice a huge different... and the fact that I just don't lather my entire body with soap.. unless I have been in a mud fight, I really don't think it's necessary to over lather as I believe it's harsh on skin whether you have dry skin or not..

1 mom found this helpful
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P.M.

answers from Portland on

I've found 2 that my highly-irritable skin does well with.

One is Pure Soap. It does have natural almond scent, and contains glycerine, which can be a problem for some people. I use this as a body bar. http://www.gaiam.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-gaiam-Site...

On my face, I use Mild Soap by DHC. It's very pricey for my tiny budget, but a bar lasts for 3 months on only my face. No scent, very gentle. http://www.dhccare.com/DHC/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=2

Good luck. I hope you find just what you need!

1 mom found this helpful

M.W.

answers from Philadelphia on

Diane, please contact me. I can definitely help you. Absolutely DO NOT use soap. No chemical dyes or fragrances...you will definitely be able to use Arbonne products. I can help you find the right wash and keep you skin nourished with the right lotion. Feel free to pm me or contact me at ____@____.com

Have a great day!

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E.M.

answers from Denver on

Dr. Bronner's - haven't tried the bar, just the liquid.

my son uses California Baby sensitive - liquid.

are you sure it's the soap and not your shampoo? My son can't use anything except the above two for his hair or his skin has issues. not even the organic stuff his sister and I use.

you need to consider detoxifying the house if your skin is this sensitive. laundry detergent (only unscented - none of us can use Tide - we use All), no dryer sheets (not even unscented), no softener (except straight vinegar). get rid of any room deoderizers/scenters - plug ins are horrendous for my son's skin. cleaners need to be baking soda and vinegar. with cleaning up the household products - my son's skin is fine even with an occasional lapse on personal care products. in someone elses's house for a couple days - skin issues flare right back up. also check for plumbing leaks or other sources of mold - that 's a trigger for one of my relatives to have skin issues.

you also need to consider that you have food allergies/sensitivies going on or some other autoimmune. many times they present as skin issues.

good luck.

M.S.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but look into Dr. Bronners Castille soaps. They are pure/organic and don't include soaps. We use them in our hand soap dispensers, for shampoo, for body wash, for cleaners. They have an unscented baby one that we use for our son and various things that we don't want to be scented. Great stuff!

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B.D.

answers from Pittsburgh on

A dermatologist once recommended Purpose Soap by Johnson and Johnson. I find it in the face care area of Walmart.

I'm wondering if you used a body wash instead of soap if it would suit you better. From what I understand the body washes are not soap, per se. Otherwise try Purpose.

K.C.

answers from Washington DC on

I have mild rosacea that developed in my mid 30s. The dermatologist told me to use Cetaphil. It's the only thing that keeps it under control and doesn't make my face feel awful.

Cetaphil also has a great moisturizer. Give it a shot. I buy both at BJs.

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*.*.

answers from New London on

I can't say that Dove is all that natural for me, either. I would rec checking out Young Living.com (pure essential oils), whole foods or a very reputable health food store. A couple years ago, I bought soap frm Melaleuca and I loved it. I have very sensitive, dry skin,too. I do not shower everyday, either.

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